Assemblymember Jim Beall, Jr., was named today as the legislator recipient of the 2010 “Stampy Award,’’ an honor bestowed by advocates, individuals, and legislative staff statewide who are dedicated to fighting hunger.

The Stampy Awards recognize the efforts of individual Californian's to improve the Food Stamp Program in California. Assemblymember Beall is receiving the award this year because of his work in passing a bill to make eligible almost 90,000 people, and his efforts to provide food assistance to poor families.

"This award is significant because it is one of numerous ways of highlighting the need to improve our nutrition programs,’’ Beall said. “I am honored by the award and will continue to press for the removal of barriers to accessing nutrition and more outreach."

George Manalo-LeClair of the California Food Policy Advocates said Beall was chosen “because he champions legislation that removes significant barriers to the Food Stamp Program.”

Assemblymember Jim Beall, D-San Jose, has made it a priority to see that hungry California families and their children are not denied that one essential everybody needs – food.

He has urged the Obama Administration to reduce unnecessary paperwork in California’s Food Stamp Program in addition to ending the fingerprinting of food stamp recipients. He has sought to streamline onerous reporting requirements for food stamps. Beall has also triggered a Bureau of State Audits investigation to determine if anti-fraud efforts are effective or merely an impediment for deserving Californians who need food stamps.

“California is spending tens of millions of dollars on anti-fraud efforts,’’ Beall said. “We need to know if this is an effective expenditure or are we calling simple paperwork errors fraud and wasting taxpayer dollars.’’.

Beall chairs the Assembly Human Services Committee. He also serves as the chairman of the Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and the Select Committee on Foster Care.

The 11th annual Stampy Awards ceremony was held this morning in Sacramento at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.